COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Among the top ten skills employers want in an employee is COMMUNICATION SKILLS. What exactly is COMMUNICATION SKILLS? Simply it is an acquired skill in conveying information. Normally it involves the verbal means of communicating or speaking coupled with the other important component which is listening. For one to effectively bring the message across so to speak is easier said than done.  How you present yourself and how you prepare your presentation will likely spell success or failure. Do you exude confidence? Are your opinions and thoughts rightfully expressed by speaking clearly and concisely? Keep in mind that there is also a non-verbal means of communicating. Your body language, gestures, posture, movement and eye contact should not be overlooked.  After you have spoken, and the person you just spoke to has intently listened to you, it is now your turn to be an active listener. Just as the other person may not have agreed with what you have spoken, likewise you may not have agreed to what the other person is trying to convey to you.  Keep in mind that each person has his or her own feelings, values, beliefs and unique perspective and should be valued. In COMMUNICATION SKILLS, what are important are a free flow of communication and a mutual understanding of each person’s disposition, demeanor and motivation.

DIFFERENT SKILLS for DIFFERENT PEOPLE

One thing is certain in the labor market. A skilled worker has a special advantage over an unskilled worker.  Let us define unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled, and highly skilled workers to find out the differences.

1.  Unskilled - If a job involves the performance of simple duties and a person can usually learn to do them in 30 days or less. Ex: Dishwasher, school crossing guard, etc.
2. Semi-skilled - If a job involves the performance of a prescribed, detailed course of action to be followed regularly which is limited in scope and the training entails more than 30 days or more.  Ex: Chauffeur, room service waiter, etc.
3. Skilled - If a job involves the performance of a trade, craft, or industry and requires a person to have at least two years of comprehensive knowledge, training, or experience.  Moreover a skilled worker is expected to exercise independent judgement and responsibility. Ex: Customer service representative, mason, etc.
4. Highly Skilled - If a job involves the performance of a profession and requires a person to have more than two years of collegiate education, training, experience and likewise pass an examination to obtain a license. A highly skilled worker, aside from being able to exercise independent judgment and responsibility, must be capable to supervise the work of skilled workers effectively. Ex: Architect, doctor, etc.

SOLID CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS

Are you presently responding to a job offer in the service industry that requires you to have basic math skills and solid customer service skills? Tests are normally given for both basic math skills and solid customer service skills. However solid customer service skills go beyond passing tests. Solid customer service skills revolve around   a person’s training, experience and attitude dealing with people in the customer service environment. That is why sometimes it is also called people skills as it relates to the work environment as well as in everyday life.  Analyze your service oriented attitude. Aside from communicating effectively, and being a good listener, do you show the following to your customers?

1. Professionalism

2. Attention to detail

3. Flexibility

4. Enthusiasm

5. Empathy

LIFE IS FULL OF PROBLEMS

Learning problem solving skills teaches us different ways of thinking. It gives us confidence in finding the right solution. It brings out curiosity. Persistence becomes second nature. In the workplace and in everyday life, being a good problem solver can definitely spell a world of advantages.  Problem solving in mathematics has given us a foundation to build on in our daily life filled with never ending problems. 

George Polya, father of problem solving, a Hungarian mathematician and a professor at Stanford University (1940-1953) wrote a book in 1945 entitled “How to Solve It”. In his book, George Polya outlines the process of solving a problem.

    1. Understanding the problem

    2. Devising a plan

    3. Carrying out the plan

    4. Looking back

SO YOU WANT TO BE A TEACHER?

To become a teacher or an educator it is a prerequisite to take and pass the BASIC SKILLS test. In California it is called CBEST or California Basic Educational Skills Test. According to CBEST, the test is designed to test basic reading, mathematics, and writing skills found to be important for the job of an educator. However, the ability to teach the Basic Skills is not measured by taking the CBEST. Taking the CBEST is not as easy as it seems. You tell yourself you can read, calculate and write.  The longer you have been away from the school campus the more difficult it would be to pass the test. According to CBEST the Reading section questions are from two major skill areas: critical analysis and evaluation, and comprehension and research skills. And the Mathematics section questions are from three major skill areas: estimation, measurement, and statistical principles; computation and problem solving; and numerical and graphic relationships. And finally on the writing section you are required to write on two essay topics which assess your ability to write. On one essay topic you are asked to analyze a given situation or statement. On the other essay topic you are asked to write about a specified personal experience. After reading this, perhaps you would change your mind and forego becoming a teacher or you would go ahead and start studying, reviewing, taking practice tests and finally taking the big step to find out if you can pass the Basic Skills test.

WHAT SKILLS DO YOU HAVE?

There is no right or wrong answer to this question.  You can try to be good in as many different areas as you can, or you can choose to become the expert in one specific field.  However if you simply want to improve the quality of your work as well as your life, you should possess at the very least, skills that employers are always looking for, as well as continually be in skills acquisition mode in any chosen career. The reason for this is because the workplace is constantly changing. You have to expect and plan for change.  If you want to remain attractive to employers, you need to continue learning and developing new skills throughout your entire working life. At the very least you should have the following:
                                   1. Basic skills
                                   2.Thinking skills
                                   3. Interpersonal skills


As you progress in your career you should likewise focus on developing the following:


                                   1. Planning skills
                                   2. Scheduling skills
                                   3. Goal setting skills
                                   4. Decision making skills
                                   5. Problem solving skills
                                   6. Conflict resolution skills
                                   7. Information handling skills
                                   8. Information technology skills
                                   9. Commercial awareness
                                 10. Self-awareness skills


So, what skills do you have? It would not do any harm to do a self-assessment. You might just be surprised at yourself.

Creative Thinking & Critical Thinking Skills

Creative Thinking (Synthesis) and Critical Thinking (Analysis) are both categories of Higher Order Thinking Skills in Benjamin Samuel Bloom's Taxonomy (1956). The other category is Evaluation. The three categories of Lower Order Thinking Skills are: Knowledge, Comprehension, and Application. While both of them involve thinking, creative thinking is more right brain whereas critical thinking is left brain.  Creative thinking involves creating something original and different. Critical thinking involves the use of reasoning and logical thinking.  In creative thinking, creative abilities that come into play include originality, flexibility and fluency. In critical thinking it is paramount to logically analyze and evaluate a situation in order to obtain the correct result or conclusion. UPKME3FP74ZA